Combined centrifugal pump and motor



H. A. PRINDLE. COMBINED .CENTRIFUGAL PUMP AND MOTOR.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. I0, 1915. 1,004,129.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

8 I 6 it 4 I 3 :27

I: 1 llr/ A ITOHNEVS Patenteu z 28,1920.

H. A. PRINDLE. COMBINED C-ENTRIFUGAL PUjMP AND MOTOR.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. I0. I9I5- 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

I I I I I I UNETED STATES PATENT- OFFICE.

HARRY A. PRINDLE, OF EAST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY.

COMBINED GENTRIFUGAL rUMr AND Mo'roa.

To aZZ whom it may co'ncern:

Be it known that I,- HARRY A. PRINDLE, of East Orange, in the county ofEssex and in the State of New Jersey, have invented a certam newanduseful Improvement in Combined Centrifugal Pumps and Motors,

and do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription thereof.

,' The object of my invention has been to vprovlde a combinedcentrifugal. pump and motor which shall tend to maintain itse-lf,

*- While running, comparatively independent 7,

' of bearings, and which shall have, among others, the advantages ofgreat simplicity, --of requiring only the simplest of bearings;

; especially adapted for use with steam con of being capable of beingperfectly balanced so as to have no endthrust, and of being densers andair lifts, and to such ends my invention consists-inthecombinedcentrifugal pump and motor hereinafter speci- In theaccompanying drawings?- 1 v Figures 1 and '2 are, respectively, acentral vertical longitudinal section, and a I transverse section of acombinedzcentrifugal' pump and motor embodying my lnventlon,

and- Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of'my combined pump and motorused with an air lift.

My invention is capable of embodiment in many different forms and usedfor many different purposes, and while I shall illustrate it by the bestembodiment thereof known to me,..such embodiment is to beregarded astypical only of many possible embodiments, and my invention is. not tobe the passages 3 and 4 are, as usual, in planesv substantiallyperpendicular to the axis, but

the inner ends thereof are inclined away 'fromthe central plane of therunner, since the water and air are to enter such passages from the sideof the runner. The passages 41 thus enter through a face 6 at what mightSpecification of Letters Patent.

hub approximately fits a journal 7 formed Patented se t.'2s, 1920.

Application filed August 10, 1915. Serial No. 44,679.

on the interior of a pump casing 8. Coin pressed air enters the boss 9of the casing through an axial passage 10 that extends through thejournal 7, and said passage has a flaring recess 11 formingcommunication between the passage 10 and the air passages. 3. The runneris provided with projections 12. forming tapering trunnions, so tospeak,

adapted to have bearing when necessary in the flaring recesses 11. Waterto be pumped enters through the intake 13, and reaches the Waterpassages 4 of the centrifugal pump, and by centrifugal action is thrownout into the discharge 14.

1 In order to use my combined centrifugal pump and motor with an airlift, it is only necessary to locate the discharge beneath the lower endof a pipe 15 extending into a well,so that the combined air and waterleaving the discharge "15 shall pass up into the pipe 16.

' In the operation of my combined centrifugal pump and motor, steam orair is con nected to the'two bosses 9 of the pump casing,

and the intake 13 is connected with a source of supply of the fluid tobe pumped. The air is forced through the passages 10 upon opposite sidesof the runner and through the flaring recesses 11 into the airpassage'sB of thecompressed aid turbine causing the runner to rotate.The trunnions 12 are supportedon the lower s'urfacesof the flaring,

recesses 11,.thus choking the passage therethrough of air to the lowerpassages of the air turbine. This choked condition of the space between'the' trunnions 12 and the lower side of the flaring recesses 11 tendsto in crease the pressure of the air therein as compared with thepressure in' the freer space above the trunnions,- and this tends toraise the trunnions away from the lower portions of the flaring recessesand to center them in the side opening. The gyroscopic action tends tomaintain the runner in the proper plane of rotation perpendicular to theaxis of the casing. The rotation of-the runner expels the water fromthewaterpassages l and permits water to' enter the suction end resulting ina continuous discharge of the water. The exhaust air leaving the airpassages 3 mingles with the water discharge from the water passages 4and thus air bubbles are'discharged into the lower end of the air liftpipe .15. The result isthat the ater-passes up the pipe 15, not'onlydue'to the-momentum given'it by the centrifugal pump, but-tothe'well known;air lift ac- .ti'on of the'ai'r'bubblesland the very eflicient pumpingaction -,occurs. a

j My combined motor and-centrifugal pump has very great advantages;'Allthe forces about it are balanced, the air (or-steam) and waterentering from the opposite sides balance each other so that thereis no",end

thrust to the apparatus, or tendency todis- 7 vplace the runnerlengthwise-of the axisupon which. it is rotating, The entering air, .as

I described, tends to keep. the trunnionsin the 1 5" center of theflaring recesses, so'that there isa tendency of the ippara'tusto runwithout speed of rotation fora given air pressure.

There are no joints between moving points member having. opposed centralbearmg' which have to be kept packed to prevent theescape of air orsteam. If usedto pump' gawater in 'a steam condenser, or for a boilerfeed, the steam used ,to revolve the' runner ismost advantageouslymingled with the water being pumped, without additional contrivances. I'claim:

opposite axial. projections mounted in rec'esses in said casing,opposite gas supply passages communicating with. said recesses, andopposite gas'turbine passages in said run'ner'communicating with saidrecesses.

2. In a combined centrifugal pump and motor, a casing, a runner havingopposite axial projections mounted in recesses 'in said casing, oppositegas supply passages communicatingwith said recesses, opposite gasturbine passages in said'runner communicating with said recesses, andopposite water passages upon each side of said runnGIhK f ,In a combinedcentrifugal pumpand motor, a combination of a runner having op.- iposlte axial pro ect1ons, ,a,cas1ng having opposite recesses adapted toreceive said promunicating "with said recesses, and radial liquidpassages in said runner, the inner ends of said liquid passagesextendingin a substantially axial direction and communicat ing with liquidpassages in said casing.

. 4. An air lift comprising a combined centrifugal pump and, turbine,means for discharging air from said turbine and Water a leading to-theperiphery of said disk.

. 1. .In a turbine, a casing, arunner having jections, gas passage'sinsaid runner com-' munication' with said inlets, and means whereby thepressure of said fluid supports said rotor during movement of thelatter.

6..' In a device of the class described,.a;ro-- tor, a casing havingbearings adapted to guidesaid rotor, said casing being provided witha'ctuating'fluid inlets at said bearingpoints and said-rotor havingimpelling passages leading to said inlets."

7, A combined motor and pump'comprising a rotor, an annularcasingtherefor having bearings for said rotor and actuating -'fluidinlets leading to said bearings, said ro tor having trunnions-adapted toobstruct said inlet and impelling passages leading to said trunnions.

. "8. Ina device ofthe-class described, a casing having an actuatingfluid inlet, a rotor disposed within said casing having a portionadapted to obstruct said inlet and impelling passages leading to saidportion.

9. A pump rotor comprising a disl like' portions, said member beingprovided with impelling passages symmetrically disposed with respect tothe central plane of the disk, I and leading respectively to saidbearingportions, and having fluid discharging passages :10. A combinedcentrifugal pump and motor comprising. an annular casing having opposedbearings therein, said bearings being provided with actuating fluidinlets, a disk-like rotor disposed within said casing and havingtrunnions adapted to engage said inlets, and impelling passages leadingto said trunnions, said rotor also having fluid discharging passagesleading tothe periphcry of the disk said above mentioned'passages beingsymmetrically disposedwith re sp'ect to thecentral plane of the disk, 111. In combination, a casinghaving an actuating fluid inlet, a rotorwithin said ca'sing supported to permit aXi-al movement and having animpelling surface in communication with said inlet,-a portion of saidrotor being adapted to more" or less obstruct said inlet depending uponthe amount of axial v movement of the rotor. 212: In combination, acasing having opposed actuating 'fluidinlets', a rotor within 'saldcaslng supported to permit axial movement and having impelling surfacesin communi'cation with said inlets, portions of said rotorrespectivelybeing adapted to more or less obstruct said inlets depending upon theaxial position of the rotor. Y

13. In combination, a casing having an actuating fluid inlet, a rotorwithin said casing supported to permit axial movement. 1 and having animpelling surface in communication with said inlet, a'portion of saidrotor being adapted to more or less obstruct said inlet depending uponthe amount of axial movement of the rotor, said rotor being 130 Vcharging surfaces.

' also provided with fluid intake and discharging surfaces, I

14. In combination, a casing having opposed actuating fluidlnlets, arotor within said casings'upported to permit axial movement andhavingimpelling surfaces in communlcation with said inlets, portions ofsa1d rotor respectively being adapted to more or less obstruct saidinlets depending upon the axial position of the rotor, said rotor belngalso provided with fluid intake and dis- 1 1.5. In combination, anannular casing having a substantially axial fluid inlet, a

rotor within'said casing having impelling surfaces leadingv from thecenter to the periphery thereof and bein in communicationwith said inletattire center'of the rotor, saidrotor being axially movable and having aportion adapted. to more or less obstruct said inlet depending upon theamount of axial movement of the rotor.

,16'. In: combination, an annular casing havingopposedsubstantiallyfaxial fluidinlets, a rotor within said casinghaving im-' pelling {surfaces leading from the center to v theperipherythereof and being in commu nication with said inlets at the. center ofthe rotor,'s aid rotor being axially movable and having 'portionsrespectively adapted to more or'lessfobstruct, said inletsdepen'dingupon the axial'positionof the rotor.

17. In combination,a casing having an actuating fluid inlet therein, arotor dis posed in said casing, and impellingsurfaces for. said; rotorsymmetrically disposed with regardto its axis of rotation-whereby the.forces' exerted upon, the rotor by the acturating fluid as the. rotoris moved, :.ma1n- I also, having fluid intake and discharging surfaces;

tain the same in proper position independently of any: bearing for saidrotor.

18..In combination, a casing having an actuating fluid 'inlet therein, arotor dis-- posed in said casing,;and impellingsurfaces for said rotorsymmetrically' disposed" with regard to-its-- axis ofrotation-'wherebythe forces exerted uponthe rotor by the actuating fluid'as .the rotor is: moved, maintain 1 thesame in properpositionindependently of .any bearing for said rotor, said rotor 19. :In'combinatiomla casingjh avinglop "posed ,actuating. fluidv inlets in thesides thereof, a rotor bodilymovable within said casing, and gimp'ellingsurfaces for said rotor symmetrically disposed-with regard to its axisof rotation/in COIIHDUIllOfltlOH with 1 said inlets,whe'reb'y the forcesexerted upon the rotor by said actuating flui'd'as the rotor is moved,maintain the same in proper position. r. 20. In combination, a, casinghaving opposed actuating fl'uid: inlets in the sides thereof,aroterbodily movable Within said casing, and impelling'surfaces for saidrotor symmetricallydisposed with regard to 1ts axis of rotation incommunication with said inlets, whereby the forces exerted upon therotor by saidactuating fluid as the rotor is moved, maintain the same invproper position, and means for varying the axial pressure upon therotor of the actuating fluid supplied respectively by said inletsaccording to the position of the rotor therebetween.

21. Incombination, a casing having opposed actuating fliiid inlets inthe sides thereof, a rotor bodily movable within said casing, andimpelling surfaces for said rotor symmetrlcally disposed with regard toits axis of rotatlon in communication with said inlets, whereby theforces exerted upon the rotor by said actuating fluid as the rotor ismoved, maintain the same in proper position,;said rotor also havingfluid intakeand discharging -surfaces.

22. In combination, a casing having-op posed actuating fluid inlets inthe sides thereof, a rotorbodily movable within said casing, andimpelling surfaces for said rotor symmetrically disposed with regard toits.

axis of rotation in communicationwith said inlets, whereby the forcesexerted upon .the rotor by said actuating fluid as the rotor is moved,n1ainta'in the same in proper posi tion, and means for varying the axialpressure" upon the rotor of the actuating fluid supplied respectively bysaid inlets according to the position of the rotor therebetween, saidrotor also having fluid intake and discharging surfaces.

23. In combination, a casing having .an--

actuating fluid inlet therein, a rotorbodily 'movable within said casinghaving balanced impelling surfaces in communication with said inletandradiating outwardly with respect to the center of rotation of therotor, whereby the forces exerted upon the rotor by the actuating fluidas the rotor is moved, maintain the same in proper position independently ofany bearing for said rotor.

'24. In combination, a casing having-opposed" actuating fluid inletstherein, an ax ially movable rotor disposed within said casinghavingbalanced impelling surfaces .same in proper position independently ofdisposed within said casing havingbalanced impelling surfaces incommunication with ng having op posed actuating fluid inletstherein, arotor .in communication with said inlets andrasaid inlets and radiatingoutwardly with respect to the center of rotationof the rotor, wherebythe forces exerted upon the rotor by the actuating fluid as the rotor ismoved,

maintain the same in propenposition independently of any bearing forsaid rotor.

26. In combination, a casing having opposed actuating fluid inletstherein, an ax ially movable rotor disposed within said casing. havingbalanced impelling surfaces in communication with said inlets andradiating outwardly with respect to the center of rotation of the rotor,and means for varying the axial pressure upon the rotor of the actuatingfluid supplied respectively by said inlets according to the position ofthe rotor therebetween, whereby the forces exerted upon the rotor by theactuating fluid as the rotor is moved, maintain the same in properposition independently of any bear ing for said rotor, said rotor ,alsohaving rotation of the rotor.

27.- In combination, a casing having there in an inlet for compressedair, a rotor 118 posed within said casing having impelling surfaces incommunication with said inlet and radiating outwardly with respect tothe center of rotation of the rotor, said rotor also having liquidintake and discharge passages radiating outwardly with respect to thecenterof rotation of the rotor, and a common discharge pipefor-receiving both the air and the liquid discharged by said rotor. i i4 In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand.

AGNES .F. MOLAUGHLIN.

